


Snowball 1985

by katherinepulitzumber



Series: Look After You: Mileven Drabbles [7]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M, I just love Mileven okay, I was listening to Paul anka while this came to mind, Jonathan being the official family photographer, Lumax, Mileven, School, el and mike found another song for them, he's literally head over heels in love with her, just the hopper-byers being happy, luckily the gang is all there, mike being the sappy poet he is, school girls are bitches though, since put your head on my shoulder is my fav, snowball - Freeform, the snowball is great, the whole party is there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-26
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-02-04 13:12:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18605209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katherinepulitzumber/pseuds/katherinepulitzumber
Summary: The Party goes to the Snowball of 1985





	Snowball 1985

_Snowball at Hawkin's High School - December 16th, 1985_

It was El's first year of high school and second time going to the snowball.  Snowball had become one of her favorite words now besides promise.  It made her think of the dance before thinking of crushed ice packed together.

She did a small twirl in her red dress around the living room.

"What do you think?" She asked Hopper and Joyce with a smile.

"Absolutely gorgeous!" Joyce said with a clap of her hands.

"Pretty." Hopper smiled, knowing it was one of his daughter's most treasured words.

El ran forward and hugged the two of them tightly.

"We're gonna be late!"

They turned to see Will running from his room as he attempted to tie a bowtie.  Johnathan followed behind with his camera strapped around his neck.

"Will, honey, it's not even 6 o'clock." Joyce said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

"You know Johnathan is going to take a million pictures before we even leave though." El giggled.

She walked over to where Will stood as Johnathan got his camera ready.

"I like it." She grinned, gesturing to his dark blue suit.

"Thanks." Will said before mumbling, "Mom insisted I wear it.  It was Johnathan's when he was our age."

El held in a laugh at that before Johnathan began taking pictures.

_A silly one._

_A normal one._

_An entire family one._

El couldn't wait to put these on her wall with her collection of pictures over the year.

"Mike's jaw is gonna drop when he sees you." Will said, playfully nudging his sister's shoulder and laughing at her blushing face.

"Alright you two." Hopper said, "Let's get you kids to that snowball."

El practically skipped to the car.

.

The decorations for the Snowball looked just like they had years before.  Blue streamers draped on the walls and an archway of balloons leading into the gym.  Small snowflakes now hung on strings from the ceiling and more balloons covered the floor.

Will walked right over to the group but El stared around in amazement.  Everything seemed to glitter and glow.  Her eyes fell upon the boy with messy black hair and freckles.  His eyes locked with hers and a goofy grin had spread across his face as he walked over.

"You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen." Mike said in almost a whispered voice.

"Pretty?"

"Gorgeous."

El grinned at him. 

Mike had a growth spurt that summer and was a few inches taller than El.  She still only came up to his shoulder.  He had to lean down slightly each time he'd kiss her or she'd stand on her toes slightly.

The two walked over to the table their friends stood around and began talking about everything from how El had convinced Max to wear a dress to this event to Lucas making sure Dustin didn't have a redo of the hair spray nightmare his hair had become last year.

Inevitably, Every Breathe You Take came on and all of the party gave Mike and El knowing looks before she quickly grabbed his hand and took them to the dance floor.  Lucas and Max joined a few seconds later and even Nancy and Johnathan (who had been taking pictures) found themselves dancing with the group.  El's smile could have lit up the room better as she rest her forehead against Mike's.

_This was their song_.

El had never understood people having their own song when she saw them talk about it on soap operas.  Mike had explained it to her; blushing feverishly when she asked if _"The Snowball Song"_ was their song.  Of course he said yes.

The two held tight to each other as the song came to an end.  El could feel Mike grinning where his head now rest atop her's.  She pulled back to look him in the eye.  Mike mumbled something she couldn't hear over the music before leaning to kiss her gently.  She closed her eyes slowly and tightened her arms when they were around the back of his neck, playing with his hair softly.  The two pulled away, Mike's cheeks redder than her dress.

"Come on." El said, "Everyone else is back to their tables now."

She still felt in a daze as she and Mike walked back to their table; hands intwined perfectly.

.

Many dances later, the group were slumped back in their chairs laughing as Dustin put pretzel sticks up his nose with Will giving him a look of absolute disapproval.

"I'm going to get punch, do you guys want anything?" El asked.

The group said their _"no thanks"_ before El walked over to the snack table and grabbed one of the cups of red liquid.

_I really hope nobody spiked it_.

She didn't get a sip of her drink before she heard a girl nearby.

"She still goes here?"

El set her drink on the table and turned to see three girls standing by; their extremely long hair all teased into hairstyles that made them look 3 inches taller than they actually were.

"She's the chief's daughter isn't she? I heard the poor guy was forced to take her in.  Pathetic little thing."

"She doesn't even talk in class.  I would know since she's in three of my classes.  Not a single word from her.  And she gets these nosebleeds sometimes.  It's freaky.  _She's_ freaky."

"Or she's _is_ a freak." One of the girls giggled before seeing El staring at them.

The three quickly turned away and changed to a subject about clothes and makeup before a few other girls joined their conversation.

El let out a shakey sigh.

_Do not get worked up over this._

Going to high school had been proving to be a lot more work than it seemed- and mostly not even just the homework.  Mostly it was being the new kid who barely talked.  Hawkins wasn't a big school.  People seemed to talk enough for her. . . about her.

_Freak._

El clutched her hands in fists and let them go with a shuddering breath.  She needed to find somewhere to take a breather away from the noise.  She walked back to the table where her friends sat.

"Hey, I'll be right back.  Is that okay?"

Lucas, Dustin and Max were in their own little world talking but both Will and Mike gave her a questioning look before nodding and trying to focus back on the other three's conversation.

El walked out of the gym and into the hallway, the blasting speakers now just a muffled sound.  She wanted to sit somewhere quiet.  The women's room was a few hallways over and both Hopper and Joyce would nearly die if she went outside alone.  She opted for an empty classroom a small way down the hall.  The school's janitor would be lazy and usually left the rooms unlocked- luckily, this was one of those times.

El opened the door to where she had math class and closed it quietly before walking over to her usual desk in the back row and sitting down; resting her head against her hands.

She shouldn't feel sad.  She has everything she loves in life now.  Eggos.  Mike.  A family.  Why should she let words from stupid girls make her feel hurt? It wasn't like they didn't say it a lot.

A tear rolled down her cheek softly and she swiped it away.

**_Not_ ** _stupid._ **_Not_ ** _pathetic._ **_Not_ ** _a freak._

She began whispering it to herself like a mantra, only looking up when she heard the click of the door opening and then closing.

"Are you alright?"

Mike stood at the door, eyeing her nervously.

"Yeah." El replied, trying to keep a smile and her shoulders from slumping forward, "Parties are just a lot."

Mike took a seat at the desk next to her.

"I heard them."

El's expression dropped quickly, "O-Oh."

"They're wrong. . . So wrong." Mike shook his head, "You know that right?"

El nodded, twisting her hands in her lap, "Not stupid. Not pathetic. Not a freak."

Mike smiled softly, "Never. Always pretty. Always smart. Always- Always, err, bitchin'?"

He was still confused of her Chicago phase- let alone however that word would describe an angel like her.  But he knew it made her smile.

El laughed at his last sentence, "Bitchin'." She repeated.

The two sat in silence for a bit; Mike rubbing his thumb over her hand.

"You know," He said, already feeling his face flush, "Y-You're my favorite person. . . Like in the world."

Mike could nearly feel a breeze at how quickly she turned to him; her smile dazzling in the moonlit room, "Really?" She asked.

Mike nodded sheepishly.

El threw herself forward and hugged him tightly, nearly causing him to fall off his seat.

"You're my favorite person too." She whispered against him.

They could hear the music in the gym begin playing once more.  The quiet and muffled sound of "Put Your Head On My Shoulder." by Paul Anka now playing.

Mike pulled them both up and offered her his hand.  She gladly took it.  She climbed on one of the desks, steadying herself with his hand and laughing.  Mike held El's hands, spinning her around slowly and loving the way she laughed.  He'd carefully lift her as she leapt from one desk to another; both of them in their little world.

He held he arms out and she fell into them, his hands supporting her back and knees as he spun her around.  Mike set her down and put his hands around her waist, her hands looping around his neck as she rest her head against him.

_Put your head on my shoulder,_   
_Hold me in your arms, baby,_   
_Squeeze me oh-so-tight,_   
_Show me that you love me too. . ._

"I really do love you." El whispered softly.  
Mike's arms tightened the embrace,  
"I love you more than you could ever know."  
He felt El smile against him.

_Put your lips next to mine dear,_   
_Won't you kiss me once, baby,_   
_Just a kiss goodnight, maybe,_   
_You and I will fall in love. . ._

"Can this be our song too?" El asked, her eyes seeming to sparkle as she looked up at him.

"Forever." Mike replied with an equal smile before leaning down and kissing her softly.

_Maybe,_   
_You and I will fall in love. . ._


End file.
